Till We Meet Again
by Becky Sky
Summary: “Until we meet again,” Atlanta choked out. "We're all heroes, so when you die, you'll see me there..." All she wanted was one last request, to feel, and be felt...


Till We Meet Again

She didn't feel the blade slicing her skin until it was too late: blood gushed from her wounds as pain split her brain in two. Lightning coursed through her veins, and she felt a weird adrenaline rush, like when she was racing, and the wind was whistling through her short red hair. But then it disappeared, and she was falling, down, down, down. It was only when Archie caught her that she stopped her descent, but by that time she was too weak to have much say in the matter.

"Atlanta! No!" His words were merely a faint ringing in her ears, and if not for her keen sense of hearing, brought about by being a hunter, she may never have heard them.

"Arc…" She tried to speak, but her words were clogged in her throat like a sink. She swallowed, struggling to breathe and talk at the same time. "I'm…" What could she say? She wanted to beg his forgiveness for failing him, for not defeating Cronus like they had planned. But what else? That her heart was pounding to an unknown music that she had never truly heard before? That she was possibly feeling something… love, for him as well? She only had one chance to say what she meant before all went dark, and she wanted it to count.

She suddenly became acutely aware of five other horrified pairs of eyes: forest green, like the underbrush she had often hid behind while hunting, misty blue, like the sky on the perfect hunting day, dark chocolate brown, like the chocolate she always gorged on in secret, and two light brown ones, reminding her of the hide of the grizzlies she had often tried to avoid. Struggling to stand upright, she reached out for them, to see if they were really real.

"Oh, no! No, no, no!" Theresa caught her outstretched hand and grasped it with her own, her shoulders heaving with sobs. "Oh, I'm so sorry! It should have been me!" Nobody argued, not that they agreed with her, but because they didn't have the heart to say a word, all knowing that these few last moments were precious.

"Remember the time when you fell in love with Pan?" Odie asked, and Archie winced. Atlanta forced a tiny smile, revelling in Archie's jealousy. She nodded weakly, and squeezed Theresa's hand, willing her thoughts into her head.

"She says she was surprised Archie was so concerned," Theresa whispered, a smile tugging the corner of her mouth. "But that she was also touched."

Archie turned a deep pink, like the swirl of the sunset on a beautiful day. Jay and the others laughed quietly, and even their dying comrade uttered a minuscule giggle, although it sounded more like a horse.

"Remember the day I asked you if you and Jay were… dating?" Theresa asked, gulping as the guys stared at her in astonishment. Atlanta nodded vigorously, and then clamped her head as pain shot through it. A tortured moan escaped her lips and Archie's grip on her tightened, as if by holding on, he could keep her there for longer.

"We should get her to the gods, they may be able to help her," Jay pressed. But Theresa was shaking her head, her eyes full of tears.

"There isn't any time left," she said sadly. "All we can do is wait and cherish the last moments…"

"Until we meet again," Atlanta choked out. The others all stared at her in surprise.

"In Elysian Fields," Atlanta said. "When you all die, you'll go there, because we're heroes, and then I'll be able to say everything I want to," she finished, gasping for air. She clutched randomly at anything, digging her nails into Theresa's palms, and gripping Archie's wrist so hard she heard bones crack.

But her friends were all getting more distant, it seemed. It was like she was floating away from them towards an unknown place that only she could enter.

"Archie!" she cried, and was amazed to hear her voice, smooth and fresh, without the lingering tints of pain. She tried to grab him and hug him one last time, but her hands went right through his body, as though she were translucent. Panicked, she tried it with everyone else, but there was no denying that she was dead.

She searched their faces for their reactions: Archie looked down at her with an expression of horror, anger, love, and loss scattered across his features. Odie's shoulders were shaking, and his face was pained. Neil was still going through a state of shock, staring at her corpse as though it wasn't, couldn't really be there. Herry was helping Archie to carry her away to be buried, tears running freely down his face. Theresa and Jay were comforting one another, her head buried into his shoulder, and his arms wrapped around her, a thoughtful and despairing look on his face. He was probably blaming himself for her death, like with every other horrible thing that happened, and Atlanta wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault. But she knew Theresa would convince him in time, and besides, there was only one thing she could do before Fate came to lead her away.

As graceful as a dove, Atlanta soared over to where Archie stood, facing the sunrise, tears shimmering on his milky skin. Birds sang in the surrounding trees, and the sun peeked through the clouds, but he had a faraway look in his eyes, as though he already knew where he wanted to go, but just didn't know how to get there. His violet hair reminded Atlanta of her favourite flower, the Iris, and she felt a sudden urge to run her hands through it, but she couldn't do that anymore.

Suddenly Fate appeared, her long scarlet robe trailing behind her, and her hellhounds at her ranks. Atlanta held up her hands in a peaceful gesture.

"I will willingly come with you, but I ask one favour first," she said. Fate cocked one disbelieving brow, but said nothing. She simply nodded. For this brave young woman who had risked her life for everything she believed in, she was agreeable to her demands, even if it went against protocol. Just as long as she didn't ask for her life back, she was fine.

"I want to be able to feel, and be felt," Atlanta requested. Fate smirked, this was the strangest request she had ever received, but it was so bizarre that she had no problem with it. With a snap of her fingers, Atlanta's wish was granted.

"You have five minutes, and then your fate is to go to Elysian Fields."

Atlanta nodded; it would do no good to argue anymore. Cronus had been defeated, her job was done, but this was simply something she wanted to do for her own sake.

She approached Archie quietly, knowing that he wouldn't be able to hear her anyway, but still not eager to risk it. If he knew she was nearby, he would go to no ends to get to her, even die to see her again. And that was the last thing she wanted him to do: She loved him too much. She wanted him to live a long happy life and collect stories to tell her in the Elysian Fields. His face was lifted to the sky, and Atlanta ran soft silky fingers along his cheekbones and temple. He jumped, startled at the touch, but he didn't move away. She knew he recognized her. A blissful smile appeared on his face, and she gave him a light kiss on the lips, which he returned.

Then she moved away towards Fate, her last request granted.

"Good-bye, dear friends," she whispered towards the group of teens who were piling into Herry's truck and driving away, hearts heavy. But she knew that at least one of them was comforted, and with time, the others would come to accept it, and she would live on in their memories and hearts, just like they would live on in her eagerness to see them once more in Elysian Fields. "Until we meet again."

**A/n: Yes, a sad one. Originally it was going to be a sad one about Jay and Theresa, and if you guys want, I'll write one of those too. Anyways, I wrote this for Demenior, because I know that she likes sad ones. Am I right? Anyway, please review, and don't hesitate on telling me how bad or sad it is. I don't mind. Luv, Becky**


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